


Coffee

by VanillaKiss



Category: BTOB
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-29
Updated: 2019-01-29
Packaged: 2019-10-18 20:32:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,320
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17587937
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VanillaKiss/pseuds/VanillaKiss
Summary: “Here.” The coffee has arrived.





	Coffee

**Author's Note:**

> for day5 of iljaeweek2019january

Jung Ilhoon was a new writer, with one published book so far. But after his first book which was a big success, he just couldn't write anymore. Every time he sat down to finish his next book, he couldn't think of anything so he just ended up staring at his previously written pages. 

“The deadline is Sunday.” He heard his manager’s strict voice through the phone but couldn’t really pay attention to what she was saying. He was in his favorite coffee shop, laptop on the table, some paper and pen in front of him. 

“Ilhoon, you have to finish it. They said they won’t publish it if you don’t finish it. They even gave you more time because they believe in you and your writing skills.”

“I know.” Ilhoon sighed. “I just… I just have to figure out how to end it.”

“I know it’s hard, especially because the other book was a success.” His manager said. “Please, write something.” She hung up.

Ilhoon closed his eyes. He almost finished his book but he felt like something was missing. The ending was obvious. He didn’t want it to be obvious. He wanted a twist but couldn't think of anything. 

“You spend more time here than at home” The owner of the coffee shop said, laughing softly. 

Ilhoon opened his eyes. “I know, sorry.”

“It’s okay. Just promise me I’ll get a free copy.”

“Of course.” Ilhoon nodded. 

The owner left. Ilhoon followed him with his eyes. He was a kind man and supported Ilhoon since the beginning. 

He looked at his papers, examining his notes with little drawings. Still nothing. He looked out of the window. Maybe people watching will help, he thought. 

“Here.” One of the bartenders put down a coffee before him. 

“What’s this? I don’t remember ordering anything.” Ilhoon was confused. Sometimes it happened when he was tired that he didn’t remember things he did. But he wasn’t that tired now. 

“It wasn’t you.” The bartender replied. 

“Then who?” He narrowed his eyes. 

“A customer.”

“A what?” Ilhoon looked around.

“He left. It was a guy.” 

“Oh.”

“He must be new, it was the first time I saw him here.” He said. “Also, he looked interested in you.”

“Really?”

“Yes, I caught him staring at you.”

“That’s creepy but also exciting.”

“If you say so.” The man shrugged and left. 

Ilhoon only wrote three sentences on that day. When he got home, he laid on his bed and stared out of the window. It was already dark. Sometimes he hated being home. Alone. Without people accompanying him. But he just couldn’t find time for dating. He was afraid it would distract him from writing. 

He thought of the coffee, closed his eyes, and fell asleep. 

He started the next day in the same coffee shop. It had been like this for a month now. Waking up at 6, going to the coffee shop with a crowded bus at 6:30. The coffee shop opened every day at 7. He usually got there around that time. He was the first customer. He sat down at his favorite table, near the window, so he can watch people if he needs inspiration. He put his laptop on the table, took out his notes and a pen. He ordered a coffee and started staring at the last sentence he wrote yesterday. 

He was anxious. He felt dizzy every time he thought about publishing this book. He wasn’t satisfied with it. He felt it too forced. Like his agency locked him in an empty room with a desk and a chair and some paper and a pen and told him that he can’t go out of the room until he doesn't finish writing 400 pages. 

“Here.” A coffee. The shop owner smiled at him. 

“I-”

“It wasn’t you.” He said mysteriously. “The man from yesterday.”

He looked around. 

“He left.”

“Again?” He whined. “I wanted to meet him.”

“He’s nice.”

Ilhoon looked at the time. He didn’t notice how fast time passed. It was around the same time as yesterday when he got the coffee. He wasn’t sure if it was a coincidence but he thought he should look for the coffee boy around this time on the next day. 

However, on the next day, he didn’t get coffee. He was a little sad. 

He had only three days left until Sunday. He was sitting in the coffee shop again. He somehow managed to write five pages. And all of those were acceptable. The end was close and he couldn't stop thinking about how good it will be to finally rest. 

“Here.” The coffee has arrived. 

“Oh, fuck. I forgot about the time. I wanted to see who it was.” Ilhoon smiled at the coffee. He just realized he developed a crush on the coffee boy. And oh how good it felt to have a crush on someone. 

He reread the last sentence. He felt motivated again. I’m gonna find the coffee boy if I finish this book, he promised to himself. And it actually gave him motivation. Before he went home, he wrote seven more pages. He was satisfied. 

The next morning, while he was on the bus, he wrote notes on his phone. He could finally see the end of the story. 

When he got there, he sat down and started typing on his laptop. He didn’t remember when was the last time he enjoyed writing this much. It wasn’t suffocating or forced, it was natural. Word after word, sentence after sentence, page after page. It was refreshing.

“Your coffee.” The coffee shop owner put down his coffee. “Also, here.” He gave a small paper to Ilhoon.

Ilhoon unfolded the paper. “Fighting! ㅎㅅㅎ” 

He couldn't stop smiling all day. He continued writing and sometimes glanced at the paper. I’ll definitely find you, he thought to himself. He finished the story on the next morning and sent it to his manager. 

He was finally free. He could have just rest all day, doing nothing but there was this promise. He wanted to meet the coffee boy and thank him what he did for him.

He went to the coffee shop. He knew it would be boring but mostly creepy if he would just sit there, watching the customers, so he brought a book with him to read.

“Hi” Someone sat down on the chair next to him after a while. “The bartender told me you finished your book.”

Ilhoon looked up surprised. A young man was smiling at him warmly. A very familiar young man, actually. 

“I know you.” He said out loud when he realized where they met. “We worked in the same store in one summer a few years ago.”

“Yes.” He nodded. “You probably forgot my name. Yook Sungjae.”

“Sungjae, right!” Ilhoon said, giggling. “Never thought we would meet again.”

“Yeah, me neither. But when I was here with my friends a few days ago, I accidentally overheard your phone call. You know, when you talked to your manager about the deadline.” He avoided Ilhoon’s eyes. “I thought maybe a coffee will help or something. I wanted to say hi, but I was afraid I would bother you. I even came here every day, except one time. I couldn't come on that day. I was hoping I can talk to you.” He gulped. “And I was nervous. I kinda liked you since we worked together. I even read your first book. It was good. I liked it.”

“Really? I’m glad.” Sungjae was adorable. He was so tall and big, but now, looking this nervous, he looked so small and cute. “Thank you.”

“For what?” Sungjae finally looked at Ilhoon. 

“For the coffee.” Ilhoon said. “It helped me.”

“Ah, no problem. I’m glad I could help.”

“How can I repay it?”

“You don’t have to!”

“But I want to.” He insisted. “What about dinner?”

“Sounds good.” Sungjae nodded.


End file.
